Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Oscar baiting

CK normally handles movie related posts here on the Dossing Times, however I feel compelled to write a quick note on Oscar baiting.

I recently went to cinema here in Sydney (shameless location plug, i know) to see the Departed and Children of Men, both highly recommended, especially the latter. However both trips were tarnished somewhat by having to sit through a trailer for Clint Eastwoods new movie "Saving Private Ryan Phillippe" or, as the studio is calling it, "Flags of Our Father". When the trailer finished my friend turned to me and commented that "Clint is trying very hard to win an oscar".

I am also of the opinion, for example, that Sean Penn will not take on a role unless it affords him a shot at an oscar. With Sean this means he'll gets to shout alot which is pretty much all he's good at. Clint also strikes me as an Oscar hunter.

I just get that odd feeling that trying to win awards was the directors, actors etc. biggest motivation more and more. Its hard to quantify, but its a similar feeling I get when watching that overly sentimental Home Make Over Tv show, where you just know the ultimate goal is to make the family cry (You know the show, its basically Pimp my House). Ok, they're doing a good thing, but the ulterior motive just sours it for me.

Of course trying to win an Oscar has been around for as long as the Oscars. However is it me or is it getting more shameless and more frequent? It just seems rather backwards to me.

They're putting the cart before the horse as my Grandfather would no doubt comment.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

RE-Sydney.

Is the Honest Irishman still going strong on the Parramatta Rd?

It was quite near the city if memory serves, what a place for tumbles of all kinds. Don't know if it was the holes in the floor or the regular saturday/sunday night scuffles that reminded me of home.

Eamonn said...

I've only been here for a few days so i haven't located it yet. I will endeavour to track it down though.

CK said...

I was interested to read Christopher Nolan's first choice for The Joker in the upcoming Batman Begins sequel ('THe Dark Knight') was indeed Sean Penn. Also Penn has directed a Shania Twain music video so he clearly can't be entirely consumed with producing material to satisfy the Oscar academy.

Eamonn said...

On him directing one music video you make that assertion....look at everyone of his movie performances and roles for the last 5-10 years...save of course Team America